M.S. 839

ELA proficiency at 65.8% lands essentially at the district average of 65.5%, which is a meaningful climb from the 36% this school posted back in 2016. Math, however, is a different story: at 42.9%, it sits roughly 20 percentage points below the district's 63.3%, and it dipped from 51.2% last year. The trajectory over the past decade has been uneven — math peaked at 55.1% in 2018 before settling into a lower range — while ELA has trended steadily upward. By grade, 7th-grade math stands out at 56.3%, while 6th and 8th grade math both sit in the high 30s, suggesting the school's math results are grade-dependent. The school's overall quality review score of 2.17 out of 4 is below the district average of 2.58.

The day-to-day feel here is genuinely split. Parents give the school high marks — 94% trust in the principal, 91% trust in teachers, and 89% overall satisfaction — which suggests families feel heard and connected. Teachers, however, paint a more cautious picture: instruction quality is rated at just 57%, well below the district's 89%, and trust in the principal comes in at 77%. The teacher survey is small (only 16 responses out of a faculty that probably numbers in the 30s or 40s), so treat that as one signal rather than a verdict. Discipline is calm — a single suspension last year and a 0% suspension rate, down from two in 2021-22. The biggest flag for parents to ask about is chronic absenteeism: at 84.5%, it means the vast majority of students are missing 10% or more of the school year, which can quietly drag down instruction and outcomes for the kids who do show up every day.

The student body leans whiter and more affluent than the Brooklyn middle-school norm — 45% white, 26% Hispanic, 14% Asian, 8% Black, with 5% multiracial — which closely mirrors the surrounding neighborhood rather than the borough as a whole. The diversity index of 76% reflects a real mix rather than a one-group school. About 28% of students have IEPs, and the economic need index sits at 47.8, meaning roughly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. With only 359 students total, most kids probably know most of their classmates by the end of 8th grade.

Windsor Terrace-South Slope is a quiet, affluent residential pocket in central Brooklyn. Median household income is around $138,000, the poverty rate is under 7%, and nearly three-quarters of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — making this one of the more educated and economically comfortable corners of the borough. About 26% of households include children, so families are a visible part of the block-level scene. Homeownership sits around 40% and the median home value is well over $1.2 million, signaling a neighborhood where people put down roots.

Three subway options are within walking distance: the Fort Hamilton Parkway stop on the F and G lines (about a 6-minute walk), the Church Avenue F and G stop (about 9 minutes), and the Beverley Road Q stop (about 11 minutes). Most families should be able to get here without a car.